Myths about vegetarianism. Who are vegetarians? History and geography

Would you like to know who a vegetarian is? Then read this article carefully!

It’s impossible not to notice how rapidly the world is changing. How the pace of life invariably increases. There is more and more information, but less and less real knowledge. What is real knowledge? This is knowledge that we take from a trusted, authoritative source, empirically test on ourselves, and thus make it our own. Therefore, without testing it for ourselves, we cannot say that we really know something.

How does this relate to the topic of this article? The most direct.

Only after trying to be a vegetarian for at least some time, studying this lifestyle, the nutrition of vegetarians, preparing the vegetarian dishes you like, penetrating into this philosophy, will you really have an idea about it. And much more than reading mountains of literature on this topic.

Upon careful observation, you can see that people in our modern world are quite clearly divided into two main streams. And the further you go, the more visible this division is. One stream of people is in a state good sleep and gradually falls asleep deeper and deeper or, in other words, does not develop, but degrades. People from this stream do not notice and are unable to notice what their lifestyle is leading to, their numerous desires and ever-increasing needs, they do not notice how they harm themselves, the people around them, nature and the world around them. They prefer to follow the path of least resistance or, conversely, practically torture themselves in pursuit of the implementation of their ambitious plans. Neither one nor the other brings them satisfaction from life. And despite this, they continue to do everything according to the usual pattern, guided by other people's thoughts, other people's schemes and their own restless mind.

In another stream there are people who have already begun to wake up from such a dream, who have begun to see certain relationships between their actions and their consequences. They are trying to rethink their life, their desires, their relationships, motivation, course of development, worldview and many other aspects. By bringing more and more awareness into their lives, they gain the ability to change for the better and then make positive changes in the reality around them.

In my opinion, the answer to the question: “Why do people become vegetarians?” should be this: people become real vegetarians not because it is now in trend and not for the company of friends, but because they have realized something that does not allow them to continue their previous lifestyle. Lifestyle.

A vegetarian is a conscious person who does not oppose himself to nature and other living beings, who cares about the environment in which he lives, and this primarily affects the type of food he chooses. The deeper the motive to change the usual type of diet, the higher the degree of awareness and the greater the chance of not becoming a former vegetarian.

Who are former vegetarians? And why does this happen to people who were able to at least start eating differently?

There are several reasons.

Firstly, there is insufficient motivation, the absence of a solid foundation to support such a decision. And with the first difficulties, a person returns to his comfort zone. These may be emerging health problems, pressure from loved ones and significant people those who don’t like it have difficulty overcoming previous taste preferences.

The second very common reason why people cannot remain vegetarians is the haste to switch from one type of diet to another without proper awareness of this issue. That is, they simply take and exclude those foods that vegetarians do not eat, sometimes leaving a very meager diet, since the diet was built mainly on those foods that were excluded. They look to see if vegetarians eat fish, eggs, and cheese. And can vegetarians consume dairy products? Yeah, strict vegetarians, or rather vegans, don’t eat fish, eggs, dairy products, and don’t even eat honey! They also don’t wear fur, leather goods, and so on.

And out of a desire to immediately do everything to the highest standard, a person takes on an impossible task, and having failed, he naturally quits and experiences only disgust for it in the future. Well, at the same time to myself for not coping. If we return to the fact that people do not think through their future menu and simply exclude what vegetarians do not eat, then in this case they simply remain hungry and the body does not receive what it needs and, of course, rebels. Everything needs to be approached with reasoning. If you are already thinking about the question of how to become a vegetarian, approach this thoroughly, as this will forever change your life for the better, but only if everything is done competently and gradually.

So, how to become a vegetarian:

Research this issue carefully, choosing reputable sources. If you study someone's personal experience, ask in detail those people who have long-term positive experience in this matter. Find out what vegetarians eat. They will be able to suggest a lot.
Gradually switch to a vegetarian diet. Don't force your body, it doesn't like it. There are people who can do everything in one jerk, but this is all very individual. Focus on your features.
Vegetarian nutrition requires very good balance. Therefore, look for recipes for vegetarian dishes that best meet this condition. It should be tasty, varied, something you definitely like and contain all the vitamins and microelements for normal life.
Attract your loved ones to your side not by the fact that you now do not eat anything that you ate before, but, for example, by a new unusual and tasty dish, positive emotions And beneficial properties various combinations of vegetables, fruits, drinks, spices and sweets, from which you will not get better.
Do not agitate anyone and do not show aggression in this sense. Otherwise, you can get the opposite result and they may start asking you: “Why are vegetarians so evil?!” But as soon as you get the first positive results in the form of a healthy complexion, slimness, a surge of strength and cheerfulness, everyone will want you to share your secret with them.
IN difficult periods motivate yourself with stories of people whose lives have changed in better side with the transition to vegetarianism. Make yourself a list famous people vegetarians who inspire you and check it out periodically.

Let me give you a few examples.

Famous vegetarians:

Pythagoras, Zarathustra, Confucius, Socrates, Plato, Ovid, Plutarch, Origen, John Chrysostom, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, Mark Twain, Rabindranath Tagore, Albert Einstein.

Maybe these will be our contemporaries, then, for example, such names: Paul McCartney, Mike Tyson, Jim Carrey, Brad Pitt, Henry Ford, Irina Bezrukova, Anna Bolshova, Olga Shelest, Fyodor Konyukhov, Mikhail Zadornov and many others. Be sure to make your own vegetarian inspiration list!

One can definitely say about all these people that they are extraordinary people, with outstanding abilities in one area or another. And the fact that they are all vegetarians played an important role. It's nice to be on such a list, isn't it?!

So, we have more or less figured out who a vegetarian is. This is a man with high level awareness, eating foods that do not contain meat, poultry, fish and seafood, eggs, and in some cases dairy products and honey (vegans). Vegetarian eats a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, juices, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, seeds, vegetable oils, dried fruits, dairy products (lacto-vegetarians) and honey.

Historically, it so happened that at all times, in almost all cultures and in most religions, the vegetarian type of diet was present as a necessary component. In some cases, for the physical survival of the family, in others – for spiritual growth. The practice of fasting had all these components in mind. That is: promoting health through cleansing the body of impurities that inevitably accumulate when consuming products of animal origin; spiritual transformation due to the cleansing of the subtle body from the coarse vibrations that accompany such nutrition, and on a planetary scale - a break in the mass killing and suffering of animals. You can also trace several stages of awareness. The first step is when the hunters asked for forgiveness from the animal by killing it to feed themselves and their families. The second step is a meaningful refusal to cause suffering to any living being.

At the beginning of the article, it was mentioned about the division of people into two streams. On the stream of those sleeping and the stream of those awakening and striving for greater awakening. Here we need to add that everything has its time. Everyone cannot be vegetarian at once, everyone cannot awaken at once. It is very important not to force events and not to show aggression towards those who have not yet understood what already seems obvious to you. There are situations when you choose something yourself, and situations when the Path chooses you. When the Path chooses you, the main thing is not to miss this moment and walk according to it, sensitively listening to inner voice conscience. This is the most reliable option.

Small menu for vegetarians

Vegetarian borscht

Proportions for 2 liters of water:

White cabbage 200 gr.
Potatoes – 4 pcs.
Beets – 1 (medium size)
Carrot – 1 small
Butter or ghee or olive oil for frying
Juice of 1/3 lemon
Salt to taste, approximately 2 tsp; sugar optional 1 tbsp.
Mustard (optional) half a teaspoon
Bay leaf 1-2 leaves
Asafoetida 0.5 tsp.
Cucurma pinch, curry 1 tsp.
Herbs de Provence seasoning
Fresh, finely chopped herbs, optional, for garnish

While the water is heating in the pan, chop the cabbage and cut the potatoes into cubes. Grate carrots and beets. Throw cabbage and potatoes into boiling water, and at this time heat the oil in a frying pan (whichever you chose for frying) and first add the spices. If you use mustard, then first Bay leaf, a little later add asafoetida, curry, cucurma and after a few seconds - grated beets and carrots. Mix thoroughly, squeeze out lemon juice, add a spoonful of sugar and dry herbal seasonings. Simmer it all, stirring for 15-20 minutes, while the potatoes and cabbage are cooked. Then we combine what was stewed in the pan with the vegetables in the pan and cook it all together for about 7-10 minutes, until everything is saturated with the aroma of spices. At the end, add salt, turn it off and let it brew a little. Before serving, you can garnish with fresh herbs and add a spoonful of sour cream or soy cream. The borscht should be thick and very tasty!

Vegetable stew with spaghetti

Ingredients for cooking for 3 servings.

Separately, cook the spaghetti in salted water and add 1 tsp. olive oil based on 3 servings. About half a pack of spaghetti. While they are cooking, prepare the stew.

For the stew:

One medium zucchini
2-3 sweet tomatoes or 7-8 cherry tomatoes
Bell pepper 2 pcs. One is red sweet, the other is yellow
1-2 cloves garlic or asafoetida
Salt to taste
Dry seasonings you love
Cucurma 0.5 tsp.

Peel the zucchini and cut into cubes. Cut the pepper into strips. We also cut the tomatoes into cubes. Pour olive oil into a heated frying pan, squeeze out the garlic with a garlic press and add turmeric. Fry for a few seconds and throw in the zucchini and pepper. Pour some water and close the lid. Simmer for about 10 minutes. until soft and add tomatoes, salt and add dry seasonings. Mix carefully, cover again and simmer for another 5 minutes. All is ready! Add a side dish of spaghetti and enjoy the meal.

Avocado, arugula and cherry tomato salad with pine nuts

Avocado (ripe) 1 pc.
Cherry tomatoes 6-8 pcs.
Arugula 1 package (150-200g.)
1 lemon
A handful (small) of pine nuts
Olive oil, salt or soy sauce, parmesan (optional)

Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters, peel the avocado, remove the pit, sprinkle lemon juice and cut into thin slices. Wash and dry the arugula. Place all the ingredients in a salad bowl, season with the remaining lemon juice and soy sauce, add a little olive oil, mix gently, sprinkle pine nuts and Parmesan cheese on top (optional). Eat for your health!

Berry smoothie

Take any berries or mixed berries. I use frozen berries in winter and fresh in summer. About 200-300 gr. berries Pour them into a blender, you can add 50 ml. milk or soy cream, a little brown sugar if it seems that it will be very sour, and beat it all until smooth. A magnificent and super vitamin smoothie is ready! It is advisable for people with weak digestion to consume this dish only in the summer.

Try new dishes, develop yourself, try to live consciously and the universe will definitely answer you with gratitude!

The article will be of interest to those who do not know the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian or what these concepts mean

What is vegetarianism

To begin with, it’s worth understanding what kind of trend vegetarianism is, how popular it is and what its basic principles are. In general, this movement implies the rejection of animal products and is divided into four branches, each of which more or less strictly limits itself in some way.

In short, this is:

Lacto-ovo vegetarians - milk, eggs, and honey are allowed in food. This group has the most followers, they do not eat meat or any meat products, fish, seafood;
Ovo-vegetarians, as you might guess, do not consume dairy products, but enjoy eating eggs;
Lacto-vegetarians - do not eat meat, preferring dairy products;
AND last group- vegans. Sometimes the name “strict vegetarian” is used.

Veganism and vegetarianism

So, veganism and vegetarianism, what is the difference and what are the basic principles? If the first three areas of vegetarianism can be chosen by a person based on food preferences or allergies (milk, meat, fish), then veganism is based on certain cultural and moral values that a person is endowed with.

That is, a vegan is an “ideological” character. If previously he ate meat, then becoming a vegan, he radically changes his entire lifestyle, habits, sometimes his habitat and social circle, work and even loved one. A vegan, like a vegetarian, eats food plant origin, but excludes milk, eggs, honey.

Vegans drink juices and water, just like raw foodists. Considering all these facts, it becomes clear how different a vegan and a vegetarian are; the difference, by the way, is not only in dietary restrictions.

Veganism - moral aspect

A vegan and a vegetarian also differ from each other in that a strict ideological follower will never wear clothes made from genuine leather, furs, leather furniture are also not his best friend.

For a vegan, eco-leather or textiles are suitable. Household chemicals, cosmetics, and household items that have been tested on animals will not find their place in a vegan’s home.

They are also opponents of zoos and circuses, since animals there are kept in captivity and often suffer cruel treatment.

Vegetarianism and veganism also differ in that followers of the stricter movement have deep compassion for animals and believe that they have the same right to life as humans.

Some interesting facts

By analyzing in detail the lifestyle of both directions, you can learn even more about how a vegan differs from a vegetarian.

A strict diet also means avoiding white sugar. And here a completely logical question arises - why? It's simple - bone charcoal is used to purify white sugar obtained from sugar beets.

What about honey? After all, the bees collect it quite voluntarily. It turns out that some not entirely conscientious beekeepers “feed” their pets the same white sugar.

A decent vegan will not buy or eat unfamiliar honey; he will get it from a friend or trusted beekeeper. Gelatin, which is produced from burnt animal bones, is also not held in high esteem. An excellent alternative to it is agar-agar.

Of course, store-bought mayonnaise, ketchup, cheese, sauces, chocolate containing traces of animal origin (lecithin) are not consumed. There was a lot of controversy about mushrooms - by default they were classified as plants.

How does a person become a vegetarian?

Sometimes prescribed for health reasons plant-based diet. And very often it happens that a person is no longer satisfied with his physical form and in search of optimal diet animal protein is abandoned.

But alcohol and tobacco do not seem to contain “forbidden” components, so it is quite possible to see a vegetarian with a bottle of beer and a cigarette in his teeth.

Here is another point in which a vegan and vegetarian will not find common language- after all, beer is filtered using gelatin; alcohol and tobacco are also tested on animals by many companies.

Animal rights

What is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian in relation to our smaller brothers? Among animal rights activists, you can most often find vegans.

Of course, there are also vegetarians among them, however, they will not treat this matter with such dedication.

Numerous protests against the forced exploitation of animals, experiments on them, pollution environment- Most of them are strict vegetarians.

Raw food diet

Vegetarianism, veganism, raw food diet - these movements have similar limitations, but the last one is more narrowly focused.

Raw foodists are those people who eat food as it grows. Sometimes they can prepare fresh juice or treat themselves to dried fruits. Also, raw foodists themselves can dry fruits and vegetables in the sun or in the oven, at the same temperature (about 40 degrees).

There is a reason for this - the enzymes contained in products, when high temperature they simply cease to exist. Porridges and soups are not on the raw foods menu; many people refuse salt and spices.

The diet of a raw foodist includes mainly: vegetables, fruits, root vegetables, herbs, nuts and grains, seeds, dried fruits and vegetable oils cold pressed. Some foods can be sprouted, for example, flax seeds, wheat, lentils. But it’s better not to try sprouted beans - you can get poisoned.

To become a vegetarian or not?

Whether or not to become a vegetarian is an independent decision for each person.

In order to objectively assess all the risks, a person must be mentally mature, otherwise it is optimal to adhere to a vegetarian diet under the strict guidance of wise, competent adults. In any case, nutrition should be balanced so that the body does not feel a lack of one or another vitamin or microelement.

If you approach this issue irresponsibly, you can get the result in the form of digestive disorders or exacerbation of chronic diseases. American Association nutritionists claim that mild vegetarianism and veganism are safe forms of nutrition for health.

Since refusing food that is of animal origin is quite common occurrence, it's worth knowing what the difference is between a vegan and a vegetarian. Otherwise you may end up in awkward situation by offering a person chocolate for tea or bread and cheese.

Vegetarianism in its classical conservative understanding is a special dietary pattern that involves giving up meat products and eating only plant foods. The modern era dictates new requirements for this direction: people who refuse food of animal origin are, in turn, divided into separate sub-vegetarian movements. Vegetarianism today is not only adherence to a certain constant diet, but also a unique style and way of life.

The essence of vegetarianism

Modern vegetarians refuse to eat meat, seafood, fish and poultry of any animal origin. Some movements also do not include eggs, dairy products, honey and even mushrooms in the diet.

In addition to the diet plan, real vegetarians who adhere to certain canons: try not to wear clothes made from animals, exclude products indirectly related to animal components (for example, gelatin and glycerin), and also do not use any product that has been tested by our smaller brothers.

History and geography

The official origins of vegetarianism date back to 1847 with the formation of the corresponding international society, the center of which was Great Britain - it was then that this name began to be used to designate the above-described lifestyle with a special nutritional pattern.

Naturally, certain principles of a special diet individuals and even subcultures have been adhered to since ancient times - scattered references to them can be found even among the Sumerians. Various Indian religions and schools widely professed the principles of vegetarianism - Jains, Hindus and Buddhists were especially successful in this endeavor. In the West, the principles of diet were followed by individual philosophical schools- for example, the Pythagoreans.

In Russia, the first organized supporters of vegetarianism appeared at the end of the 19th century - they opened canteens where only plant foods were present, registered societies, and published relevant literature in Russian.

According to official modern statistics, about 15–20 percent of the total population of the planet adheres to the basic principles of a vegetarian diet in one way or another.

The geography of vegetarianism is represented by almost all countries of the planet, percentage adherents of this dietary pattern in relation to the general population varies widely. About 15-25 percent are in India, Italy and Taiwan. 10 percent on average - Germany, Brazil, Great Britain, Israel. Up to five percent openly support vegetarianism in the United States of America, New Zealand, France, Spain, and Australia. In our country, there are about 4 percent of vegetarians, while up to half of all respondents, although they do not adhere to the principles of refusing to eat meat, approve of the position of those who choose such a diet.

Most often, vegetarianism is supported by the fair sex - there are almost twice as many of them as men.

Classic vegetarianism is divided into 4 main types, which also have subcultural branches.

Veganism

The most strict type of nutrition plan, excluding any type of animal food.

Lactovegetarianism

Representatives of this movement eat any dairy products and refuse other foods of animal origin.

Ovo-vegetarianism

The consumption of meat, fish, seafood and milk is excluded, but eggs and dishes based on them are allowed.

Ovolacto-vegetarianism

The mildest diet plan, including dairy products and eggs, but excluding meat, fish and seafood of animal origin.

In addition to the above categories, there are also subcultural movements of vegetarianism. Thus, fruitarians focus on the fruits of plants - fruits, berries, nuts and seeds. The daily diet of a raw foodist mainly includes raw plant foods, which are not subjected to any processing. Pescatarianism, pollotarianism and flexitarianism allow the consumption of meat from land animals, birds, and both, respectively, but extremely rarely.

Motives

People who move to a special lifestyle and permanent special diet, have their own motives for doing this. The most famous and popular:

Ethical. A person who does not accept murder, the forced exploitation of animals and has compassion for his lesser brothers refuses to eat their meat;
Religious. A number of religions directly indicate the need to abandon animal food or in every possible way encourage the transition to such a diet;
Medical. As shown modern research, vegetarian diet can effectively counteract the risks of developing a number of cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, malignant tumors, atherosclerosis;
Ecological. Certain groups of people have a negative attitude towards the process of mass rearing of animals for food and believe that this process has a negative impact on the environment;
Economic. As practice shows, a vegetarian diet plan is significantly cheaper than a classic one and saves the budget. Although today, a complete vegetarian diet is no cheaper than the average person’s diet;
Other beliefs. Some people are convinced that only plant foods are primarily natural for humans.

If we do not consider the ethical, moral, environmental aspects of vegetarianism, which are still subjective opinion a number of people, then the proven benefit of this diet is considered to be a reduction in the risks of developing a number of diseases and pathological conditions:

Consuming less salt, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies, normalization water balance And metabolic processes;
Reducing the risks of formation and development cancerous tumors, mainly in gastrointestinal tract;
Effective fight with cataracts;
Normalization skin;
Replacement alternative nutrition scheme for diabetes of any type, optimized for stable restoration of normal carbohydrate metabolism;
Getting rid of excess weight;
Reducing the risk of kidney disease and normalizing bile circulation;
Slight increase in life expectancy.

The harm of vegetarianism

A vegetarian diet is not suitable for everyone; various chronic diseases often become an obstacle to its introduction. When switching to alternative scheme nutrition in this case may deteriorate significantly Current state patient.

Vegetarian diets are not recommended for older people (especially those with anemia), as well as for children and adolescents whose bodies are actively developing and require large quantity animal protein - the main “building material” for bones and muscles.

The obvious disadvantages of vegetarianism include:

Lack of riboflavin and vitamin B12. These B vitamins are practically not found in plant foods, which can provoke the development neurological disorders, problems with the growth and renewal of blood components/cells;
General weakness body. A vegetarian, and especially a vegan diet in a strict form provides less energy to the body than a classic diet balanced diet, as a result of which a person engaged in active physical labor may feel constant weakness and malaise;
Severe deficiency of microelements. Zinc, iron, calcium - all these components are not received by the body when eating exclusively plant foods. In this case, the only solution may be regular, constant intake of vitamin and mineral complexes.

Vegetarianism and sports

Just a few decades ago, vegetarianism and sports were considered completely incompatible - all classic nutritional plans for people professionally participating in active competitions included diets based on animal food, rich in special amino acids and protein.

Modern research shows that a potential replacement for essential meat and animal elements can be found, even for bodybuilding and weightlifting that would seem to be incompatible with a vegetarian diet. How can a special diet plan and sports be combined?

Thoughtful varied menu. It should include soybeans, beans, lentils, dairy products, peas, peanuts, etc.;
Additional energy sources. In sports, not only protein and proteins are important, but also energy. It can be provided by dried fruits, smoothies, nuts, certain types of cereals and special synthetic energy drinks;
Focus on results. Good results can be achieved even if a person is a vegetarian. IN professional sports There are few people who adhere to this diet, but this trend depends more on conservative views on the problem of compatibility and a lack of desire to look for alternatives.

The above points are relevant for moderate vegetarians who include from time to time in their diet daily nutrition dairy products and eggs. Strict vegans should combine their preferences and active sport it will be very difficult.

How healthy is the body of an ordinary vegetarian? This depends on the correct choice of diet components, a varied diet of plant foods, as well as adherence to mandatory requirements to additional intake of vitamin-mineral complexes, especially B vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium.

Ideally, a vegetarian diet is associated with excellent health, a low body mass index, and high social and economic status. Health problems have those categories of people who too actively force the transition to exclusively plant foods, adhere to mono-diets without the necessary variety of diet, do not take the necessary supplements, or have a certain number of chronic diseases where vegetarianism is a direct contraindication.

Classic vegetarian cuisine includes:

Dishes from legumes, vegetable snacks, pates, hummus;
Salads, falafel, porridge, mushroom, vegetable products, both stewed and baked;
Products based on fresh vegetables, fruits, appropriate desserts and much more, one way or another, not containing animal protein.

Switching to vegetarianism

The transition exclusively to plant foods must be gradual, otherwise it will become a serious shock for the body, a long period time a person will be accompanied unpleasant symptoms caused by abandoning the usual diet.

Elderly people, those prone to anemia, patients with chronic diseases liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, as well as children, pregnant women and adolescents. The basic principles and approaches include the following points.

Choosing the right time. It is better to switch to plant-based foods in the summer, when you have access to a full range of inexpensive vegetables and fruits;
Phased cancellation. First, eliminate pork and beef from your diet, leaving poultry, dairy products and eggs if necessary. If you are going to become a strict vegan, there is a period of adaptation to complete refusal from products of animal origin should not be less than 2–3 months;
Delicious and varied food. Cook deliciously, as varied as possible, do not go on mono-diets in order to get maximum energy, proteins, polyunsaturated fats and useful substances With different dishes;
Supplements IN mandatory on permanent basis take vitamin-mineral complexes with high content B vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium;
Medical supervision And the right attitude. It is advisable to switch to a vegetarian diet under the supervision of an experienced nutritionist and endocrinologist. Always try to save good mood, believe in yourself, avoid stress.

Doctors' opinions on vegetarianism

The modern medical world generally views vegetarianism positively. IN Western countries local nutrition associations and various medical societies recommend a similar regimen daily ration to normalize weight and reduce the risk of certain pathologies, naturally, following all recommendations.

Domestic conservative medicine considers vegetarianism primarily as a special temporary diet to achieve certain goals as an element complex therapy for gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes and a number of other medical problems, but does not approve of a lifelong transition exclusively to plant foods with its complete replacement of classical balanced nutrition.

However, today there is no consensus on how beneficial or harmful vegetarianism is.

Useful video

Myths and truth about vegetarianism

IN Lately vegetarianism conquers everything large quantity followers. However, inside it appeared various currents and disagreements regarding both nutrition and moral and ethical principles.

Some call themselves lacto-vegetarians, others call themselves ovo-vegetarians. And then there are raw foodists, fruitarians, pescetarians, pollotarians, flexitarians - the number of branches is growing by leaps and bounds. But the most important thing is to understand how a vegetarian and a vegan differ from each other, because they are the main bearers of this worldview.

Nutrition

In fact, vegetarians and vegans are the same as, for example, a plant and flowers, i.e. a genus-specific pair. Vegetarianism is a broader, generic concept, and veganism is narrow, i.e. specific. And the main difference between them is nutrition.

Food

Vegetarians do not eat only meat. As for such controversial products as eggs and milk, this is a personal matter for everyone. General principles food does not prohibit eating them for the reason that you don’t have to kill anyone to get them.

Vegans (often also called pure or absolute vegetarians) refuse not only meat. Their diet is much stricter. They do not eat fish, seafood, eggs or milk. Everything related to animals is under their control. the strictest prohibition. It even comes to the point that they refuse to eat gelatin, because it is made from connective tissue and bones of livestock (which means that many confectionery are prohibited), and honey, because it is extracted and produced by bees. And this is the main difference between vegans and vegetarians.

Based on this, we can draw the following conclusions about the vegan diet:

it is much poorer than that of vegetarians;
characterized not only by scarcity, but also by imbalance;
it contains virtually no protein, which is found in eggs and dairy products;
It is very difficult to create a menu;
gets boring quickly;
has many more contraindications;
negatively affects the functioning of many organs and health.

These differences are not in favor of veganism, if only because such a diet is fraught with numerous health complications.

Classifications

Since vegetarianism is a fairly broad concept, it includes many subspecies. As a rule, the basis for classification are food products that are either allowed for consumption or not. In turn, each of these groups is divided even more finely depending on religious beliefs, traditions and personal experience.

Vegetarianism classification:

Ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eat meat or fish, but do include eggs and milk in their diet;
ovo-vegetarians exclude meat, fish and milk, but do not give up eggs;
Lacto-vegetarians, on the contrary, extend the ban on meat, fish and eggs, but enjoy dairy products;
Vegans do not accept all animal products.

Veganism classification:

raw foodists refuse any processing of food, i.e. they eat everything raw;
Fruitarians eat exclusively plant fruits.

So from the point of view of subspecies, these two food systems and worldviews also have significant differences.

Causes

It's one thing for a person to become a vegetarian medical indications(to reduce the risk of any a certain disease) or economic considerations.

But the situation is completely different if the choice is made because of religious or ethnic principles. Many are guided by moral and environmental views (you cannot kill animals - this has a negative impact on the environment). Here you can no longer take a step to the right or left, since the taboos in such food systems are very strict. And this applies specifically to vegans. That is, the differences between them and vegetarians may lie much deeper than it seems at first glance.

So from a nutritional point of view, a vegan differs from a vegetarian in many ways. When choosing one of the directions for your lifestyle, it is worth asking yourself the question of how these diets will affect your health and how strong your fortitude is to refuse what is prohibited here.

List of prohibited foods for vegans

As an appendix to this paragraph, we bring to your attention full list Products that are prohibited for vegans:

Animal products:

meat: beef, pork, veal, lamb, horse meat, offal, etc.;
game: turkey, goose, chicken, duck, partridge, quail, etc.;
fish and seafood: anchovy, shrimp, mussels, squid, crabs, fish sauce, lobsters, etc.;
dairy products: yogurt, cheese, milk, butter, ice cream, cream, kefir, yogurt, etc.;
eggs: chicken, duck, quail and even fish;
bee products: honey, royal jelly(royal jelly), pollen, propolis.

Nutritional supplements that are made from animals:

food additives with an E in front: 120, 322, 422, 471, 542, 631, 901, 904;
cochineal (carmine);
gelatin;
fish glue (used in the production of alcoholic beverages);
natural flavors: beaver musk;
polyunsaturated fatty acid omega-3;
gummilac (shellac);
vitamin D3;
dairy ingredients: whey, casein, lactose.

Controversial products (look carefully at the labels):

baked goods may contain L-cysteine (derived from bird feathers);
beer and wine - egg white, casein, gelatin, fish glue;
confectionery products - gelatin, shellac, carmine;
French fries and others fried foods- fried in fat;
olive tapenade - anchovies;
pesto sauce - cheese;
pasta - eggs;
potato chips - animal flavors, casein, whey;
sugar - bone char;
chocolate - whey, milk;
fruit and vegetable products - wax treatment;
Worcestershire sauce - anchovies.

The consumption of certain vegan foods is limited:

vegan fast food: candy, ice cream, cookies, chips, sauces - because of sugar and fat;
vegan sweeteners: molasses, agave, date and maple syrup - because of the sugar;
vegan meats and cheeses - due to numerous nutritional additives;
artificial milk - because of sugar;
vegan protein bars- because of sugar.

It is not difficult to guess that the list of products allowed for vegetarians is much wider, and this is a pleasant difference from veganism.

Health effects

Before considering the following differences between vegans and vegetarians, you need to pay attention to the fact that their nutritional systems affect health and well-being. There is a lot dedicated to this scientific research which are still being carried out today. Their results most often contradict each other. However, you need to know what you are dooming your body to by switching to this lifestyle.

Vegetarianism in his broad concept(when eggs and milk are allowed):

reduces the risk of developing stomach, liver and intestinal cancer, heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases;
reduces blood cholesterol levels;
allows you to create a balanced vegetable-dairy menu that will fully provide the body with the necessary substances;
improves well-being;
strengthens the immune system;
increases life expectancy.

Veganism:

leads to a deficiency of vitamins B2, D, B12, amino acids, iron, iodine, calcium;
increases the risk of developing anemia and iron deficiency;
destroys tooth enamel and bones;
disrupts work thyroid gland due to the lack of tyrosine in the diet;
accompanied by brittle nails, hair loss, gastrointestinal problems, low performance, and in women - menstrual irregularities;
slows down the process of protein absorption (of which very little is supplied anyway), the result is muscular dystrophy, decreased immunity, risk of developing tuberculosis.

This is controversial data, scientific assumptions that are constantly confirmed or refuted. But, one way or another, all these facts should lead you to a single conclusion - the most significant difference between vegetarians and vegans. The former, although they are criticized, still have a reduced risk of developing many diseases, thanks to more or less balanced diet. But the latter in most cases suffer from a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. It leads to serious problems with health.

Types of veganism

Separately, it is worth dwelling on the classifications, since many do not understand, for example, how vegetarianism differs from a raw food diet. You need to know these nuances so that when you switch to one of these systems, you do not violate its boundaries and correctly self-determinate.

In total, 4 currents can be distinguished:

Traditional vegans do not eat meat, milk, eggs, fish and honey, leaning on cereals, grains, nuts, vegetables, herbs, berries, and fruits.
Raw food diet - eating only those products of plant origin that have not been processed by humans in any way.
Macrobiotics - avoidance of sugar (bone charcoal is used to purify sugar obtained from beets) and oils.
Fruitarians eat only fruits (the classic representative of this group is Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood).

Vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists are essentially similar (they are united by the rejection of animal products), but each has its own nuances (the differences relate to the list of permitted and prohibited products and methods of processing them).

Lifestyle

Among other things, the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is lifestyle. The latter, as a rule, continues to enjoy all the benefits of civilization, while the former refuses much due to moral and ethical principles. Veganism does not allow any harm to be caused to animals, and therefore invites its followers not to use in everyday life items in the production of which material of animal origin was used.

Restrictions apply to:

clothing and any other fabrics made of leather, silk, wool;
fat soap;
printed photographs (after all, gelatin is required for their production);
many medications and cosmetics containing animal extracts;
entertainment related to the exploitation of animals: zoos, circuses, horse racing, dolphinariums (needless to say about hunting, which is blasphemy for vegans).

Some restrictions reach the point of absurdity, but this is precisely the difference between the concepts.

Table

The table below clearly demonstrates the main differences between vegetarians and vegans:

For the uninitiated, vegetarian and vegan are the same thing. Actually this is not true. Vegetarianism is a generic concept, broader and includes many branches with all their predilections for fruits, milk, eggs, etc. Veganism is a specific concept, narrower, relating not only to nutrition, unlike other movements. Its adherents completely abandon products of animal origin, things made from animal raw materials.

For those who are planning to join this worldview, it is necessary to understand these basic terms and know the differences between them.